When I woke after out-patient surgery on my shoulder my throat was extremely sore and I had difficulty swallowing. At home I looked in my throat and saw that my uvula looked as if it had been stretched to at least twice its nornal lenght. The uvula doesn't seem to be swollen in width but is red with a filmy grayish coating on the lower half (front and back) and is long enough that it actually lays on my tongue. (I can fling it in the back of my throat, lay it on my tongue and fold it in half.) This is causing me to have problems swallowing and I feel as if I have something stuck in my throat that I can't clear and I get coughing jags because of it. I spoke with my doctor who referred my to the anesthetist that intubated me during the surgery. The anesthesiologist said that my uvula could have been stretched or irritated during intubation but this is rare. He assured me that my uvula will return to its normal size. What can you tell me of this problem-- How long does it normally take for the uvula to return to its previous size, shape and color? Should I have any concerns? Should I see an ENT Specialist or wait this out? Please help - this is driving me nuts. I feel like I'm always going to choke. Thanks.
Reply: ------------------------------
I would not consider it "rare" to have swelling of the uvula after endotracheal intubation for anesthesia during an operative procedure - perhaps uncommon. There are a variety of reasons why this might have occurred including simple mechanical trauma from pressure or stretching by the tube or even allergic reactions to the composition of the tube or to medications given during the procedure. The first order of business is to assess whether or not it adversely affects your breathing (particularly while asleep) or swallowing. In this case, systemic steroids such as prednisone might be indicated. Lesser degrees of swelling, when allergic reaction is suspected, might respond to Benadryl. Swelling that is more or less a nuisance and is not causing gagging, respiratory distress, or swallowing difficulty may only require gentle gargling with dilute salt water solutions. Such swelling should resolve within 12-48 hrs. Significant swelling that causes disturbing symptoms or failure of swelling to resolve in appropriate time frame warrants an evaluation by an otolaryngologist.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
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